Brick kit

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a brick kit comprising a number of essentially prismatic concrete stone blocks and to a method for producing said stone blocks. According to the invention, to permit an automatic alignment and fixation of the stone blocks in brickwork, the stone blocks ( 1, 10, 18, 19,19′ 20 ) have a projection ( 2 ) and a depression ( 3 ) configured symmetrically in the centre of their upper and lower face respectively, the projections and depressions are configured with approximately the same shape and dimensions, and stone blocks that are stacked on top of one another can be adjusted and/or fixed in relation to one another, by means of the mutual engagement of the projections ( 2 ) and depressions ( 3 ).

The invention relates to a block kit comprising a number ofsubstantially prismatic concrete blocks and to a method for producingsaid blocks.

The construction of brickwork using prismatic blocks arranged one on topof another, in which mortar or adhesive is used for to fix the itemstogether, is known. Irrespective of the fact aligning the blocks andmaintaining said alignment presents numerous difficulties, the insertionof the mortar or glue between the items to be joined is also complex andtime-consuming. Finally, possible adjustments of the blocks relative toeach other for an exact, defined alignment are made more complex.

The invention aims to produce a block kit in which the blocks in thebrickwork can be automatically aligned with one another and can besecurely fixed together with or without binding mortar or glue.

According to the invention, this task is achieved by the measures statedin the characterising part of claim 1. When constructing brickwork it ispossible to produce reciprocal alignment with concurrent dovetailing bymeans of the depressions and projections on the stacked concrete blocksinterlocking, thus enabling building activities to be carried out byalso inexperienced persons via the use of said block kit. Moreover, bymeans of the depressions and projections, robust brickwork, such aswalls, retaining walls or similar, may be achieved equally with orwithout binding agents such as mortar and glue, etc. The interconnectionof the neighbouring concrete blocks, achieved by the interaction of theprojections and depressions, is advantageously assisted by the force ofgravity in the concrete blocks.

According to the embodiment of the concrete brick set, it is envisagedthat the projection be made using a cross-sectionally pyramidalstump-shaped appendage moulded longitudinally along the block, havingoblique side faces, the free ends of which extend towards each other.According to the preferred embodiment of the projections, the heights ofsame being substantially 2-6 mm depending on the respective blockheights and stress requirements, walls with safe interconnections atintervals may be built using also dry construction methods.

In addition, it is envisaged that the depression be made using across-sectionally pyramidal stump-shaped groove or similar, mouldedlongitudinally along the concrete block, the oblique faces of which areextended towards each other and the inside of the concrete block, inconformity with the cant of the oblique faces and the design of theprojection.

In a further embodiment of the block set, it is envisaged that theconcrete blocks show a deliberate inward-facing longitudinal curvedrecess at the attached depression. The curved recesses contribute tominimising the weight of the concrete blocks and form a type of recessedgrip, which, as adjustment aids, facilitate the handling of the concreteblock. It is understood that the inner depth of the curved recesses canbe varyingly shaped independent of the respective heights of therespective concrete blocks e.g. 1:1.8, 1:2.1 and 1:3.4 relative to thebase wall spanned by the recesses.

A concrete block having only a depression on the underside along withthe subsequent curved recess is envisaged to act as a capping stone, itsother side being presenting a smooth top surface so as to achieve aneven two-sided finish to the brickwork for retaining walls and similar,in particular. The capping stone can be flushly joined and fixed to theupper side of the other concrete blocks without projections, as withtongue and groove joints.

Finally, it is also envisaged that the concrete blocks be produced, withlengths of 40, 35, 30, 25, 20 and 15 cm, in particular, and with heightsof 40, 30, 20, 18 and 12 mm in particular. The concrete blocks thusallow a plurality of intercombination possibilities, by which thebrickwork of the various design claims can be adapted.

According to a method for producing the concrete block for the blockset, which uses a moulding tool, it is envisaged that the moulding toolsbe substantially cup-shaped in design, that the cross-section and innermeasurements of the moulding tool determine the height and the width ofthe concrete blocks and also the projections and depressions and thatthe inner depth of the moulding tool defines the length of the concreteblock. The concrete blocks produced via a procedural step are availablefor their brickwork lengths after the concrete block has been removedfrom the moulding tool simply by inclining it by 90°, the arbitrarydepths of the moulding tool corresponding to the various lengths.

Further procedural steps are also given wherein the moulding tool isdesigned for same-sized combined moulding of rows of concrete blocks orpackets of concrete blocks, or similar, for a predetermined number ofconcrete blocks. It is understood that the moulding tools for therespective individual concrete blocks can also be implemented.

According to further procedures it is envisaged that several rows ofconcrete blocks or packets of concrete blocks be simultaneously producedadjacently and together in the same moulding tool, thus allowing a spaceand time-saving production of the block kits and the concrete blocks ofsame to be achieved. In order to make individual concrete blocksavailable in the simultaneous and combined moulding of rows of concreteblocks, packets of concrete blocks and similar, separation grooves areenvisaged on the side faces and/or on the upper faces thereof at theregular intervals, the width of an individual concrete block, and it isenvisaged that the blocks of stone be separated from each other by meansof force effected in the separation grooves, by the percussive effect,for example.

The figures given in the embodiment examples show how the invention canbe achieved. These comprise:

FIG. 1 Perspective view of an individual concrete block for a block kit;

FIG. 2 Front elevation of a concrete block according to FIG. 1 with anadditional positioned concrete block;

FIG. 3 Enlarged cross-section of a joint between projections anddepressions;

FIG. 4 Front elevation of a concrete block with angle annotations;

FIG. 5 Front elevation of a section of row of concrete blocks;

FIG. 6 Top view of a section of row of concrete blocks according to FIG.5;

FIG. 7 Enlarged top view of a section of neighbouring concrete blocksnear a separation groove;

FIG. 8 Front elevation of a packet of concrete blocks with concreteblocks according to an embodiment;

FIG. 9 Front elevation of a further packet of concrete blocks accordingto another embodiment;

FIG. 10 Front elevation of a retaining wall using various sizes ofconcrete blocks from a concrete block kit;

FIG. 11 Section of a retaining wall along the line XI-XI shown on FIG.10;

FIG. 12 Enlarged top view of a corner joint with a first layer ofconcrete blocks;

FIG. 13 A second layer of concrete blocks for a corner joint accordingto FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 A third layer of concrete blocks for a corner joint according toFIG. 12;

FIG. 15 Front elevation of a concrete block for the corner jointaccording to FIG. 12; and

FIG. 16 Section of a moulding tool for concrete blocks according toFIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 1 shows a concrete block 1 for the block kit. The block kit can beproduced from a number of concrete blocks, presenting a projection 2 ontheir upper surface and a depression 3 on their under side. In theembodiment example for the projections 2, said projections are formedfrom an appendage 2′ having a trapeze-shaped cross-section extendingover the whole length of the concrete block. Depression 3 is constructedwith substantially identical cross-sectional shape and size to that ofprojection 2. Depression 3 is groove-shaped and extends over the wholelength of the concrete block. A curved recess 4 extending towards theinside of the concrete block connects with depression 3 providing theadvantage of minimising the weight of the concrete blocks and serving asa recess grip for adjustments. Chamfers 8, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 areenvisaged in the area of the perpendicular 6 and level 7 corner cants,produced by grooves 9 in the concrete block moulding process. (FIG. 7)In the row moulding of concrete blocks, the grooves 9 have the task offacilitating and provoking the separation of the concrete blocks onpercussive action in said groove.

In FIG. 2 an additional, shorter, concrete block 10 has been placed onconcrete block 1 of FIG. 1. Thus the projection 2 of concrete block 1locks into depression 3 of concrete block 10, fixing and aligning bothconcrete blocks relative to the other. FIG. 3 further discloses that theconcrete blocks can be aligned relative to each other by means ofoblique faces 11 and 12 of projections and depressions 3 and 2 and thusthe inclination of oblique faces 11 and 12 present an angle β=45°.Moreover the faces of curved recess 4 in the concrete block of FIG. 4have an inward angle α of some 30°. It is understood that alternativeangles α and β as well as curved recesses of varied shapes and sizes canalso be used.

In FIGS. 8 and 9 a number of concrete blocks are respectively connectedin a row to a concrete block packet 13, which can be moulded in acombination tool 15. It is conceivable that the end region of the rowsof concrete blocks 13′ or the concrete block packets 13 could beextended, where applicable, by a predetermined detachable section 13″that could fill the spaces in the brickwork. However, in FIG. 8 sincethe concrete blocks 10 present, for example, a height of 12 cm, a heightof 8 cm is chosen for the concrete blocks 10′ of FIG. 9. Understandably,concrete blocks having different height, width and length measurementscan be produced.

FIG. 10 shows a retaining wall 14, erected by means of a block kit.Concrete blocks having varied lengths and heights are used therein. FromFIG. 11 it is further disclosed that the retaining wall 14 isconstructed using the dry method. In this way, the neighbouring andstacked concrete blocks are erected and fixed together by means ofdepressions 3 and projections 2. The retaining wall 14 is suitable forabsorbing the top-level graduated pressure effect of the soil 16.

FIGS. 12 to 14 show a brickwork corner joint 17. In corner joint 17, afirst floor-level layer is envisaged with concrete blocks 18, 19 and 20,into which concrete block 19 is to be interlocked using depressions 3and projections 2. The corner joint can be built upwards by introducinga second layer of interlocked concrete blocks 18, 19′ and 20, as perFIG. 13. The intercorrelation of blocks 18, 19 and 20 or 18, 19′ and 20,proceeds in an outward direction, producing smooth side faces. Thesecond layer of concrete blocks is spanned by a third layer, which cancorrespond to the first layer in block size and order. FIGS. 11-14disclose that an even covering can be achieved for corner joint 17 byusing blocks without projections on the upper surface in the thirdlayer.

FIG. 15 shows a section of a block according to FIG. 12.

FIG. 16 shows a moulding tool 15 for moulding the concrete blocks forthe block set. It is disclosed that the blocks can be formed edgewise inmoulding tool 15. After the moulding tool 15 has been filled withconcrete mix and it has hardened, the rows of concrete blocks of FIGS. 5and 6 can be removed from the moulding tool 15 for use. If individualconcrete blocks are required, the row of blocks can be split bypercussive action in groove area 9. The lengths of the rows of blocksare specified by turning the blocks over as disclosed in FIG. 6.

It is understood that concrete blocks of different lengths can beproduced by varying the inner depth of the moulding tool 15.

Finally, the rows of concrete blocks 13′ and the concrete block packets13 can present several blocks with and without projections 2, incombination respectively. The last blocks can be used as capping stones.

1. Block set with a number of substantially prismatic concrete blocksand method for the production of said blocks, disclosing that the blocks(1, 10, 18, 19, 19′ and 20) symmetrically and centrally present aprojection (2) on the upper surface and a depression (3) on theunderside, the projections and depressions being formed withapproximately similar shape and dimensions and said stacked concreteblocks capable of being fixed together and/or adjusted in relation toeach other by the interlocking of projections (2) and depressions (3).2. A block set according to claim 1, disclosing a projection (2) made ofa cross-sectionally pyramidal stump-shaped moulded appendage (2′) thatextends longitudinally along the concrete block, having oblique faces(11, 12), the free ends of which lean towards each other.
 3. A block setaccording to claim 1, disclosing a depression (3) made of across-sectionally pyramidal stump-shaped groove (2′) that extendslongitudinally along the concrete block, having oblique faces (11, 12)which lean towards the inside of the block and towards each other. 4.Block set according to claim 1, wherein one of the depressions (3)pointing towards the inside of the connecting ends of the concrete blockconnects with the longitudinal curved recess (4) provided on the block.5. Block set according to claim 1, wherein the inner depths of thecurved recesses (4) are formed with span proportions of some 1:1.8,1:2.1 and 1:3.4, independent of the height of the blocks in relation tothe recesses.
 6. Block set according to claim 1, wherein the blocks (1)present a depression (3) on the under side and a subsequent curvedrecess (4) and a smooth upper surface (1′).
 7. Block set according toclaim 1, wherein the concrete blocks are formed with length of, forexample, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20 and 14 cm, in particular, and heights of,40, 30, 20 and 12.8 cm, in particular.
 8. Method for manufacturing theconcrete blocks of the block set according to claim 1, using mouldingtools and disclosing that the moulding tools are substantiallycup-shaped, such that the height and width of the concrete block and itsprojections and depressions are determined by the cross-section of themoulding tool and such that the length of the blocks is determined bythe depth of same.
 9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the mouldingtool has been designed to simultaneously and combinedly mould rows ofblocks and packets of blocks or similar from a predetermined number ofconcrete blocks.
 10. Method according to claim 8, wherein the design ofthe moulding tool is chosen so as to form the packet of blocks from anumber of blocks set out adjacently in rows.
 11. Method according toclaim 9, wherein several packets of concrete blocks are simultaneouslyand combinedly produced in one moulding tool.
 12. Method according toclaim 9, wherein the rows of blocks and packets of blocks or similarpresent separation grooves every individual block width along the sidefaces and/or the top surface of same and in that the blocks can beseparated from each other by means of a force being affected in theseparation groove.